Demand for new SECoR Zone emerging out of continued Socio-Economic & Political neglect

Analysts say that Andhra was the region which has contributed for the overall resurgence and re-designing of Hyderabad as one of the global headquarter for IT and Software industry. Contribution of individuals belonging to Andhra region changed the face of old Hyderabad City into HITEC City. People of Andhra have immensely contributed in bringing major MNCs like Google, Facebook, CA Technologies, Microsoft, D E Shaw, JDA, Mylan to Hyderabad and have contributed in shaping the current day global hub in HITEC City. People from Andhra have also played a pivotal role in creation of a strong Pharma base at Hyderabad. Likewise Andhra NRIs working for Global Research firms like Gartner, McKinsey, KPMG, Ernst & Young, PWG in US and European regions have actually driven the move towards Hyderabad as the Next Destination in many of their Vision Documents and indicated it as one of the future destination for creation of National Financial District of India at Gatchibowli in Cyberabad. It was the people from Andhra who have suggested for relocation of many of the Data Centres and DRs of various Banking and Financial sector institutions to Hyderabad that which have brought the DR and DCs of ICICI, SBI, Andhra Bank, Central Bank of India, Bank of Baroda etc locate at Hyderabad. Andhra people not only contributed for the above NexGen Sectors in Hyderabad, they have actually also contributed for its success, says one of the Director at CtrlS who also said that Intelli Group which was one of the largest Software and IT company and was takenover by NTT Group in the recent past is the contribution of Andhra people. Likewise Dr.Reddy’s Labs, Satyam (now Mahindra Satyam) etc are factored. Many analysts have also cited creation of a massive Film industry equivalent to Bollywood has contributed for the overall development of Hyderabad and adjoining regions as one of the strongest economic corridors of the country.

However, with the demand for creation of a separate Telangana state, the people of Andhra who have immensely contributed for the development of Telangana and Hyderabad region in particular since last 50 years are heavily developing fear factor of loosing their hardwork of Hyderabad to Telangana. As a result, out of many other socio-political demands, creation of a new railway zone at Visakhapatnam or Vijayawada and a Division in Tirupati are also gaining momentum on the reasons that sociologists ascribing it to continued the economic and socio-political neglect faced by the people there.

The Waltair division of the East Coast Railway (ECOR), headquartered in Visakhapatnam, and spread over Odisha and Chhattisgarh, is the biggest contributing division of ECOR. It earns around Rs.5000 crore in revenue, of which a major portion of Rs.4,300 crore comes from freight earnings, fueled by transport of minerals. The demand for creation of a new zone in Visakhapatnam has been around for nearly two decades and has gained momentum now with the proposed bifurcation of the state. The proposed new zone for Visakhapatnam has now broadened to include the Vijayawada, Guntur and Guntakal divisions of South Central Railway (SCR) as well. Those demanding for a separate zone in Visakhapatnam say the new zone would benefit from the ports in Coastal Andhra and the major ports here would fuel trade and bring revenue. Vijayawada division is a major hub bringing in millions of passengers,” said Y D Rama Rao, member of Railway Users Committee based in Kakinada.

Likewise, demands from coastal Andhra for formation of a new Railway Zone as South East Coast Railway (SECoR) with Vijayawada as its Headquarters had gained a rapid momentum due to political drama of formation of separate Telangana carved out of Andhra. Vijayawada Division is a major contributor of revenue on SCR Zone. People are demanding a separate Zonal Railway status given to Andhra region with the Vijayawada, Guntur, Visakhapatnam, Guntakal divisions merged under SECoR. There is also a strong demand for formation of a new Railway Division at Tirupati under the SECoR.